That’s why NRF Foundation couldn’t be more proud that Mr. Tindell is out, front and center, delivering the message that “retail is the best profession out there.” In a recent letter to retail company executives, Mr. Tindell encourages employers to partner with NRF Foundation to help position retail as a tremendous career opportunity, for students and other jobseekers. Here’s an excerpt from his letter:

Dear Colleague:

I know you share my conviction that retail…yes, RETAIL, is without a doubt,
the best profession out there. It’s the most exciting, the most creative… products,
merchandising, marketing, logistics, technology, vendor partnerships and of course
the people.

I personally can’t think of another way I’d rather be spending my career than nurturing
a retail business and building mutually-beneficial relationships with everyone who we
come into contact with.

There is absolutely no reason that the best and brightest students coming out of school
shouldn’t consider retail as their career. So I’m writing to you today, to join me and The
Container Store along with many other world-class retailers in making sure that MANY,
MANY, MANY MORE of the best and brightest students coming out of school CHOOSE
RETAIL FOR THEIR CAREER by becoming a Retail Careers Employer Partner of the
NRF Foundation. It’s up to people like me and you to partner with the NRF Foundation
in positioning a career in retail as one filled with tremendous opportunity, innovation
and excitement.

[Read the full letter from Kip Tindell.]

We hope this message resonates with retail companies and encourages them to join our efforts to help attract the best and brightest talent to our industry.

Watch our Retail: an Inside Look video and learn more about what Jeffrey has to say about his experience in the retail industry.

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About Retail: an Inside Look video blog series: At NRF’s 2010 and 2011 BIG Shows, NRF Foundation videotaped five-minute interviews with various attendees who have worked in different facets of retail, from customer service insight managers to specialists in loss prevention. These interviewees discussed their climb up the retail career ladder and gave us insight into some of their favorite aspects of the industry.

Read our interview to find out more about Mr. Ullman’s thoughts on retail as a “team sport,” the importance of mentors, and how JCPenney builds “careers” for high potential employees.

Do you recognize your employees for excellent customer service? If so, how?

As a key principle of our WINNING TOGETHER culture, we encourage recognition in every aspect of our business. This is manifested by special awards at the store level as well as, when appropriate, through cash bonuses. Last year, in fact, we recognized more than 125,000 associates with a special bonus for their contributions to our overall customer satisfaction scores and, ultimately, our profitability.  We have a similar program in place this year to continue to recognize Associates for delivering on the key pillars of our CustomerFIRST initiative.

What characteristics are most important for a successful career in retail?

Retail is a team sport and developing the leadership skills to effectively lead others while continually executing in a fast-paced environment is fundamental to a successful retail career.

A person seeking a career in retail needs to have a passion for interacting with people – both in how they serve customers as well as in how they work with their colleagues to foster an environment of teamwork and innovation.  At JCPenney, we’re focused on becoming the preferred choice for a retail career and our best leaders are committed to seeking out opportunities to help their teams continually learn and improve.  In fact, I – along with several members of my team – lead internal training courses throughout the year to demonstrate our commitment to making JCPenney a great place to build a career.

What advice can you share with students and young professionals on how to be successful in the retail industry?

After college, I had the opportunity to work in a broad range of organizations, including IBM, the University of Cincinnati, and serving as a White House Fellow.  My first job in retail was at Sanger Harris in Dallas working in the supply chain organization — I literally went from the White House to the warehouse.  You can imagine the differences in each of those work experiences, and they each provided me with an opportunity to learn a whole new set of skills. Given the constantly changing consumer landscape, retail provides a significant opportunity to continually learn and grow, and having a broad perspective will serve as a strong foundation for a retail career.

I’d also suggest that young professionals find a strong, committed mentor.  I’ve been fortunate to have exceptional mentors, and they’ve each made a meaningful, positive impact on my career.

Why do you like working in retail?

With more than 150,000 associates serving the more than half of America’s families that shop JCPenney each year, there’s a level of energy that goes into continually innovating around the merchandise and the customer experience while still executing our day-to-day business that keeps this business interesting.

We vigilantly monitor all of the key metrics around our business, and we know where we’ve won and where we need to improve.  The prospect of having an opportunity to beat our competitors and win with customers is what make me excited to come to work each day.

Do you think retail provides attractive career opportunities for young people today?

Retail is probably one of the most attractive industries for young people because it provides more meaningful leadership and development opportunities than other industries. For example, with more than 1,100 stores and 150,000 associates, JCPenney associates often have the opportunity to lead teams and manage entire businesses earlier than their peers in other industries.  In fact, we have several younger associates running multi-million dollar businesses.

Given this, leadership development is one of our top priorities at JCPenney.  In fact, when other companies were recently decreasing their development budgets, we accelerated our training and leadership programs to ensure our associates are have the tools they need to lead their teams and inspire customers to shop with us time and time again.

JCPenney is one of NRF Foundation’s Employer Partners. Mr. Ullman was also interviewed on NRF’s BIG Blog about his company’s best practices in customer service.

Read on to find out more about what Julie Wilkinson enjoyed most, who was her favorite speaker, and her dream job.

University of North Texas students at Shop.org’s reception and dinner at Cowboys Stadium
(Julie is on the back row, second from the left)

Name: Julie Joiner Wilkinson
College/University: University of North Texas
Hometown: Arlington, Texas
Graduation Year: 2011
Degree: Masters of Merchandising

Why did you attend the Shop.org Annual Summit in Dallas? What were you hoping to get out of your involvement?

I was eager to learn more about the future of retailing in the digital domain. I wanted to be involved in the Summit to receive retailing knowledge from forward thinking professionals in the industry.

What was your favorite session? Why?

My favorite session was “10 Innovations in Site Experiences, Social Commerce & Marketing That Can Change Your Business – Or Take You By Surprise” with speakers Doug Mac and Kelly Mooney. The session was fun and interactive and the speakers provided insight into how retailers can capitalize on social media.

Did you have a favorite speaker?

I really enjoyed hearing from Scott Savitz of Shoebuy.com. His discussion of the corporate culture at his company was inspiring.

What was the most exciting thing you saw or learned?

Overall, it was interesting to emerge myself into the culture of digital retailers. Previously, my experience had only been in bricks and mortar retailing so it was exciting to learn more about the digital medium.

What did you learn about the industry that you didn’t know before?

The importance of SEO was not something I had considered previously and I was unaware of the varying tactics one can use to improve the visibility of their website.

What other fun things did you do while in Dallas?

I explored the impressive Gaylord Texan Hotel! The sheer size and volume of restaurants and entertainment venues in the hotel is extraordinary.

What’s your dream retail job?

I want to eventually earn my PhD in Merchandising and teach at the collegiate level. Attending industry events, such as the Shop.org Summit, will inform my teaching and make me better able to teach future industry professionals.

Read the profiles of other of University of North Texas students: Kirsten Key, Ran Huang, Julie Wilkinson.

Ran Huang was also excited to learn more about trends in the industry, particularly how retailers are leveraging mobile technology to attract more customers. Read on to learn more about Ran’s experience.

Name: Ran Huang
College/University: University of North Texas
Hometown: Guangdong, China
Graduation Year: 2011
Degree: Master of Science

Why did you attend the Shop.org Annual Summit in Dallas? What were you hoping to get out of your involvement?

As a student pursuing a career in retail, I thought attending the Shop.org Annual Summit would be a great opportunity to learn about the current trends in the industry. It would also be good for my social networking by communicating with retail professionals.

What was your favorite session? Why?

I was really impressed by all the mobile sessions which talked about the latest mobile applications usage in retail business.

Did you have a favorite speaker?

My favorite speaker was Mitch Joel, who spoke about “Social Commerce and Emerging Trends.”

What was the most exciting thing you saw or learned?

In the EXPO Hall, I saw several technologies applied to improve customer satisfaction. For example, an eye-tracking system would understand the exact paths how viewers watch a web site. This system could be greatly useful for web design.

What did you learn about the industry that you didn’t know before?

I knew little about mobile commerce before. I learned a lot about how retailers leverage mobile technology to attract more customers and therefore bring more profits.

What other fun things did you do while in Dallas?

I enjoyed the party at the Dallas Cowboy Stadium and working with the UNT team!

What’s your dream retail job?

I hope to work as a buyer for a global retailer someday.

Read the profiles of other of University of North Texas students: Kirsten Key, Ran Huang, Julie Wilkinson.

We contacted several of the students and asked them to share more about their conference experience, what they learned, and — my favorite question of all — what’s their dream retail job. Here’s a profile of one student, Kirsten Key, and several more to come!

University of North Texas students at Shop.org’s Boot Camp
(from left to right: Nick Wood, Sarah Jones, Kirsten Key, Kimberly Staples)

Name: Kirsten Key
College/University: University of North Texas
Hometown: Greenville, Texas
Graduation Year: August 2011
Degree: Double Major, Merchandising and Digital Retailing

Why did you attend the Shop.org Annual Summit in Dallas?

I am very interested in the digital side of the fashion industry. It was a great honor for Shop.org to allow us as students to come and help out. It was a great learning opportunity.

What were you hoping to get out of your involvement?

Learn more about the industry and what is really going on everyday with in it, and to network with hopefully future employers.

What was your favorite session? Why?

I really enjoyed the breakout sessions about customer/consumer experiences. I had no idea that all these companies had these programs on their websites to enhance the customer experiences; it was very new to me. I was shocked to see some of the advances in technologies that retailers are now using.

Did you have a favorite speaker?

I really enjoyed Glen Senk from URBN — he was very inspiring.

What was the most exciting thing you saw or learned?

All the new technologies I saw that retailers are using online to enhance their customer experience, such as virtual fitting rooms from your webcam.

What did you learn about the industry that you didn’t know before?

Honestly, I did not realize how much time, research, and effort it takes to create a great customer friendly webpage.

What other fun things did you do while in Dallas?

We walked around the Gaylord Hotel; it is an amazing place. We also went to some great restaurants around Grapevine.

What’s your dream retail job?

I really love everything about this industry. However, Texas is my home, so I hope to one day work at a corporate company located here such as Fossil, Michaels or JCPenney.

Read the profiles of other of University of North Texas students: Kirsten Key, Ran Huang, Julie Wilkinson.

Chris McCormick was first drawn to L.L. Bean because it was a family-owned business and built on a love of the outdoors. Mr. McCormick became the company’s Assistant Advertising Manager in 1983. In the 18 years that followed, he earned a succession of promotions: in 1991, he became Vice President of Advertising and Direct Marketing; in 2000, he became Chief Marketing Officer; and, as of May 2001 — upon Leon Gorman’s move to Chairman of the Board — he became the first non-family member to take on the title of President and CEO at L.L. Bean, Inc.

What incentives, if any, do you offer employees who provide exceptional service? What qualities do you look for in assessing and hiring candidates?

We look for friendly, positive people who are down-to-earth, share a love for the outdoors, and have a sincere interest in helping customers.

Do you believe that retail in general, and L.L. Bean in particular, provide attractive career opportunities for young people today? How can you — or any other retailer, for that matter — ensure that your employees are consistently good ambassadors for your company?

At L.L. Bean, we have the advantage of a legendary brand that is admired far and wide. We encourage our employees to use our products and participate in outdoor activities. In addition to vacation time off, we offer employees “outdoor experience days,” and have an employee use room so they have firsthand knowledge of our products. We are very fortunate to have a brand that makes people want to be part of it themselves.

You started your career in marketing, and you’ve worked for L.L. Bean since 1983. Have you held any other positions in retail? How did you get where you are today?

I have held a variety of jobs in marketing and administration in other companies, but all of my retail and multi-channel experience came while at L.L. Bean. My own professional growth has come from a desire and ability to see and take advantage of opportunities to grow the business. This is a valuable skill and is something we continue to look for in new talent.

It has been said that attitude is more important than an education in the fundamentals of retailing to drive success in one’s career. Do you agree? Why or why not?

To be good in retail you have to be good with people, so yes, attitude is critically important in maintaining a positive friendly relationship with customers. Yet, one cannot underestimate the importance of education. Retail is getting increasingly sophisticated and complex. The demands of the multi-channel environment require bright people to manage the challenges of so many disciplines: operations and fulfillment, information systems, marketing, product development, and sourcing, to name only a few.

What characteristic is most important for success in a retail career?

In addition to attitude and education, flexibility and adaptability are also very important. In my time at L.L. Bean, we have gone from being an expert cataloguer with one store in Maine, to a multi-channel international enterprise. The competition in retail is fierce and if you don’t adapt to what’s going on in the marketplace you’re done. New media, social media, and the world of the Internet in general, have been huge game changers. Everybody has a voice and this puts even greater pressure on us as we compete while still trying to maintain a compelling value proposition through relevant products, price, quality, convenience, and service. To come out on top you will need to experiment, take some risks, and experience failure. The sooner a person can get comfortable with that the better off he or she will be.

What advice can you share with students and young professionals on how to advance in the industry?

Build a portfolio of experience, starting with the customer experience, and obtain as much cross-functional exposure as possible in order to understand the breadth and depth of the multi-channel retail environment. You won’t succeed if you don’t know all the appropriate touch points of the customer experience. But once you gain that knowledge, you will start to understand why a customer is or is not returning to you for his or her future needs.

To read more about L.L. Bean, and their award-winning customer service strategies, visit the NRF Retail’s BIG Blog.

Kathy Mance featured in a local Alexandria newspaper signs an agreement to develop and localize a Retail Training and Certification program with leaders from the Chamber of Commerce.

H.E. Minister Rachid’s keynote address spoke to the need for modernizing the industry through city planning for allocation of commercial activities and licensing businesses, including retailers, so that commerce is no longer able to take place in basements, garages or on the pavement, as has been the custom.  This, Minister Rachid noted, will provide every honest trader an environment in which he can succeed as he is able to protect and serve customers.   He explained that “man is the backbone of development – any development” and encouraged Chamber members to work with his department to change policies.

After hearing from government officials, educators and retailers, it became clear that NRFF will have an important role in helping to shape Egypt’s retail economy by working with the Alexandria Chamber to deliver training and certification in customer service, sales and selling skills and retail management.

During their visit, Kathy and Sarah were able to witness firsthand a unique view of Egyptian retailing as they made their way through Egypt’s legendary Khan-el-Khalili market, a labyrinth of streets lined with shops selling goods of every description.  They enjoyed the bustling energy and familial atmosphere in the Egyptian marketplace and quickly understood the diversity in business practice among these retailers, whose shops have been passed down through families for generations.  In addition they visited more familiar mall stores and talked with some “traders,” as retailers are known in the area.

As part of their travels, Kathy and Sarah take time to tour Cairo by camel, visit Egypt’s legendary Khan-el-Khalili market, and talk with some “traders.”

As part of the government’s aggressive plan to improve their retail economy, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is supporting the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s partnership with NRFF to develop curriculum and certifications to bring industry standards and best practices to Egypt to advance Egyptian retailers’ ability to better understand and serve customers.  Later this summer, the Chamber plans to offer three levels of training: Customer Service, Sales and Retail Management. Certification exams in Customer Service and Retail Management will be the capstone to the blended learning programs delivered through the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport.

“The academicians and retailers of Alexandria look to NRFF to gain a better understanding of the skills and knowledge most critical to retail work, as well as a training strategy for promoting career advancement to provide a better experience for the customer.  Our plan was enthusiastically received and it validated our work to date and made us very excited to continue and complete the work ahead,” said Sarah.

Kathy agreed, “The highlight of my trip was gaining an understanding of the government’s aggressive plan to work to achieve an educated, honest, and systematic approach to retail.  Real change is in the air and I’ll be very interested to watch these efforts bear fruit and pleased to know that NRF, through the NRF Foundation, is playing an important role in this transformation.”

The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce plans to send a delegation to NRF’s BIG Show next January to learn from practitioners across the world and to continue discussions that began at last week’s inaugural conference.  Kathy and Sarah look forward to welcoming these new partners to NRF’s 100^th Birthday Celebration in New York City, NY.

UW-Madison has a long lasting relationship with China. Over 1,200 current students are from China – more than from any other country. There are over 1,600 alumni currently live in China.  Tell us about the presentation delivered by your alumni, Mr. and Mrs. Fang. What did you learn about retail brand management?

Mr. and Mrs. Fang gave an awesome presentation on the retailing industry in China and what needs to be considered by companies trying to enter the market. A large part of launching and expanding a brand in China relies on the background and cultural issues of the country. For example, the ratio of males to females continues to grow. With the past history of the “one child policy,” there are many more boys/men than girls/women. This is important to keep in mind when merchandising and determining a product assortment. The Fangs also focused on the geographical differences within the country of China. Almost all major cities are located along the coast, specifically the Eastern coast.

Jeffrey and Christine Fang, UW alumni, deliver a presentation about retailing in China

Retailers need to consider this when choosing a location to launch in. Moving further inland is likely to hurt their chances of gaining market share and establishing a stable brand reputation with the Chinese consumer. The luxury market and its domination is something the Fangs mentioned. China’s social statuses are very divided from poor to affluent.

What did you learn about retail operations in China that differs from the U.S.?

I really noticed that many sales associates at clothing retailers wear uniforms. There is also a lack of visual merchandising as compared to in the United States. The level of customer service was also very different and de-emphasized. The language barrier might have been what lead to this, but when I would observe associates interacting with Chinese consumers, there wasn’t that much of a difference.

Tell us about opportunities you became aware of for/about retailers in China that you did not know about before?

The middle class is somewhere that I think retailers can attempt to expand on. We learned that that the luxury market in China is extremely successful, yet when you look at the breakdown of social statuses, there are really only polar opposites-poor vs. affluent. However, many presenters throughout our trip emphasized the growing middle class.  This may be an area for retailers to capitalize on.

After this trip, can you picture yourself living and working in retail in Hong Kong or Shanghai?

Personally, I cannot see myself working in Hong Kong or Shanghai, but I definitely see myself working with companies and partners in the East.  This trip has made me realize how global the retailing industry has become, and I value the importance of keeping relationships in countries, like China.

What’s your most memorable experience from the trip?

My most memorable moment of the trip was the last night in Shanghai.  Our group was invited to join UW’s Chancellor Biddy Martin for an alumni reception. Chancellor Martin was in China connecting with universities and spreading the “Wisconsin Idea.” I thought it was a great event, as it really wrapped up the entire trip. At the reception, there were alumni that live in China, parents of current and future students, faculty, and students. The event emphasized the role UW can, and does, have on a global scale.  I realized that being a student of the University of Wisconsin I am capable of many things beyond our state and nation.

University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of NRF Foundation’s college partners.

What was the main purpose of your trip to China?

NRFF initiated a program to prepare candidates as managers of retail operations in Beijing last December when Sarah Conrad, NRFF’s Director of Learning Operations, delivered a Train-The-Trainer session. I visited Beijing to meet personally with all those interested in the success of this program in China. This included NRFF partners: Castle Worldwide (CWW), China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), and Global Business Solutions (GBS), and other Chinese retail trade associations, retailers and educators.  NRF, through NRF Foundation, was specifically sought as a key partner in this endeavor because of NRF’s brand and the level of confidence and prestige it enjoys around the world.  My goal was to support the in-country program and to witness it firsthand.

NRFF with partners Castle Worldwide, China Chamber of International Commerce
and Global Business Solutions

Tell us about the curriculum that NRFF has helped put in place in Beijing.

NRFF created the training, Retail Operations and Management Curriculum, with help from a team of retail experts from Saks, The Home Depot and other retail companies, and has been used in the U.S. for several years. Working with Castle Worldwide, we engaged Subject Matter Experts in both the U.S. and China to review, validate and localize the training to ensure that it has the same relevance and success in effectively communicating the skills and knowledge that it currently does in the U.S.  This is critical as China’s retail industry continues to expand and require prepared and experienced managers for Chinese retailers and those entering this exciting retail space from around the world.

What was the best part of your visit?

I had the opportunity to watch a class of about 20 young people being trained – the first time I’d seen this done in a language I could not understand.  It was beyond exciting and even moving to see the work NRFF and its U.S. retail partners have done for more than a decade to develop standards-based training and certification validating and impacting young people starting their careers on the other side of the world.  While I didn’t understand the words, I clearly got the level of excitement and interest the management trainees displayed for this new way to approach managing a department or even a store.  I was dazzled as I watched them work together eagerly to solve problems and manage scenarios that they will soon encounter as new managers.  Hands in the air! Big smiles! I’ve got the answer to that one! You’re on our team!  I stood there watching these kids’ opinions of their futures change and felt so lucky to be there for so many who have done the work to make this possible.

What is your expectation for the curriculum offered in Beijing 5 years from now?

We met with officials from the Beijing Technical and Business University (BTBU) and, with members of their faculty, discussed for an audience of retail Human Resource managers how this training can provide benefit for their companies.  The University committed to add this training to its offerings, which was very exciting, as we understand that this will create the impetus for our partners CCOIC and GBS to engage other institutions of higher education to quickly adopt this curriculum or be left behind.  We already have strong interest in other provinces and our partners in China are enthusiastically spreading the message.  Our success in providing a generation of trained Chinese retailers will, of course, depend on many variables outside anyone’s control, but the signs are good and NRFF and CWW are well into development of the second level of education, Advanced Retail Operations and Management, and will deliver that training in Beijing in July.  We’ll then work on the third area of interest, Customer Service and Sales and Selling Skills. It’s easy to see that the opportunity is huge as more affluent consumers up the ante for retailers. Fortunately, there are so many people eager to build relevant skills sets that can help them get jobs in industries with a future that the stars seem to be aligning.

What is the opinion of careers in retail in China?

We visited a number of malls and some shops while in Beijing and, of course, had the opportunity to speak with Chinese retailers from many provinces who had gathered for the convention of the China Department Store Summit, sponsored with the China Commerce Association for General Merchandise. My colleague Denise Brasse, SVP Industry Relations at NRF, and Kimberly Grabel, SVP Marketing at Saks Fifth Avenue, joined me in speaking at this conference.  It’s clear from our conversations that luxury is the name of the retail game in China, and careers in retailing around an esteemed or aspirational brand are viewed quite positively.  My honest opinion is that retailing, in some ways, is new ground.  Chinese agencies are investing in retail as their economy grows, to fulfill the needs and wants of their growing middle class.

There’s a great opportunity for China’s retailers to match the level of esteem for retail careers with that being given to the new lifestyle and choices retailers deliver to their customers.  We’ll continue to work with our partners in China to offer the best lessons learned by retailers in the U.S. and elsewhere in how to invest in optimizing their workers’ skills and performance, not only to grow sales, but to wow the customer – a sure way to engage the associate and raise the customer’s opinion of the role that associate plays.

What else did you do on your trip?

I shopped, of course! I’m a big fan of pearls and was given the “secret location” of the best place to get great pearls in Beijing.  Let’s just say that I was not disappointed and even got a bit of holiday shopping done in advance this year.

I ate!  Our Chinese hosts were so gracious and kind, offering us the best of everything and I thanked them with my chopsticks.  If I wanted to know more about a certain dish (and I did) the chef was brought from the kitchen to discuss – again, thanks to our very accomplished hosts, who translated for me.  Great fun!  We were accompanied by our hosts to climb the Great Wall, an overwhelming and humbling experience, to tour the Forbidden City, which defies description, and to visit the former Olympic Village and Tian’anmen Square.  History and time have new meaning since this trip and I’m looking forward to moving some things around on my reading list to try to keep these new memories alive.

Katie Loftus and Abby Kessler, co-owners of Smak Parlour

I read that over the past 5 years, Philadelphia has developed its own fashion community, marketing the city’s potential for an even bigger fashion scene.  How is your store contributing to this new focus of retail and design?  What do you think of the Philadelphia fashion scene?

Old City, Philadelphia is an awesome location to have an independently owned business. All of our neighbors do creative things, Philadelphia has a very DIY (do it yourself) feel and we’re proud to be a part of it. We contribute to this by designing and making our clothing in Philadelphia, thus creating jobs and being able to offer special, limited-edition items to our customers who love looking unique. We also support local artists by selling their jewelry and accessories.

The store design of Smak Parlour includes pinks, reds, blacks, stripes, polka dots a dozen chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. And, you design clothing based on what you want to wear. From where do you draw your inspiration?

We’re actually up to 16 chandeliers at this point!  We really draw inspiration from each other. We love looking back at different eras of fashion and getting inspired (pin- ups, 80’s, old Hollywood and more)! We love bouncing ideas off each other, we can get very imaginative!

You design clothing based on what you want to wear, so obviously you wear a lot of things from your own line. What are some of your favorite items? And, where are some other places you like to shop?

You might spot at least one of us wearing our signature ruffle hoodie. It is a long zip-up sweatshirt made of the softest baby french terry with luxurious gathered ruffles around the hood. We also love our over-sized sparkly turtlenecks that are sewn on to tanks, tees and tunics. We order styles from other vendors that we want to wear in addition to our own line, and ordering all of those items is a total shopping spree for us. Since we have such a broad range of items from jackets to shoes, for the most part, we really do only shop here!

Who is your typical customer?  Describe the “girl” who shops at Smak Parlour.

Our customers love fun, rock ’n roll, retro, girly, glam, 80’s, pin-up, vintage-inspired styles! It’s a lifestyle, not an age.

Smak Parlour’s store design.

Not too long ago, you doubled the size of your store and included other items such as housewares. Where do you see Smak Parlour business 5 years from now?

Five years is a long time so you never know! We are driven and open to whatever opportunities come our way! We know one thing for sure, we’re going to continue to design & produce our clothing locally and seek out even more unique things to keep getting fuller and fuller… with more and more to offer.

You started your business 5 years ago and have survived one of the most challenging economic times in retail history.  How did you prepare and overcome these challenges?

With our expansion, we brought in more brands of clothing, jewelry, lingerie, accessories, gifts and most OF ALL DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS! In troubled times like these, people always need a pick-me-up (some shopping therapy)! There’s something here everyone can afford.

Can you give us specific examples of items you’re selling at specific price points?

We have dangling chain earrings, carved lucite rose rings, heart compact mirrors, undies, picture frames, gloves, books, and retro oven mitts for $12 or less. For $25 or less, we have sunglasses, hair accessories, scarves, hats, many styles of earrings and bracelets, tank tops, tees, leggings, wallets, piggy banks, umbrellas, candles, baby onesies, ice cube trays, coaster sets, and eyemasks. In the $45-$100 range, we have dresses, jackets, cardigans, skirts, tunics, tops, blouses, lingerie, shoes, curtain sets and vases.

How is your business doing? What makes it most successful?

Overall, our business is doing great. Of course, we feel the economic challenges but we are offering affordable price points and we get new things almost every day. We genuinely enjoy what we do and are truly happy to be “at work.” We are often told that our shop has an uplifting, friendly, upbeat vibe… we love that our customers leave smiling and in a good mood. Perhaps that’s part of why they keep coming back.

Jewelry and accessories were an important component to Smak Parlour’s expansion.

Tell us about the wholesale business you created while at Drexel University.

Our line was SMAK by Abby & Katie, deconstructed, embellished, silkscreened t- shirts. It was in hip, cool boutiques across the country.

Drexel awarded you the Entrepreneurial Award recognizing your use of education, initiative and innovation to create a new business.  Tell us how they’ve supported you through your venture.

Drexel’s been so supportive of our shop! They awarded us an Entrepreneurial Award and continue to send students our way. Many professors bring their classes into our shop for a meet and greet. We love speaking to eager students and answering their questions.

What role does e-commerce play in your business?

We have a website with gifts, house-wares, baby clothes, jewelry, and accessories for sale. Stay tuned for more!

What’s currently the best selling item in your store?

Our new burn-out tees are hot sellers! They’re great… they come in all different colors, they are $22 and you can layer them on top of each other. They’re long enough to wear with leggings!

Starting a retail boutique business with your best friend (since the age of 15) sounds like something of a dream, but also something that could turn out to be a nightmare.  Tell us how you make the partnership (and friendship) work and how you share decision-making.

Katie – It’s absolutely a dream come true to work with Abby! I can’t imagine doing this without her. We always want to make sure the other one is happy, no matter what, so sharing decisions and getting along effortlessly comes easy to us.

Abby – We never fight. It sounds like a lie, but it’s true.

As store owners, you’re in charge of design, inventory, finance, and hiring. What criteria do you look for when hiring an employee?

Experience, personality and drive are important but, most of all, they should have an interest.

What advice do you have for a student looking toward a career in retail?

You must be passionate about fashion – it’s a lot of hard work and long hours so it requires dedication. It is absolutely worth it if you love what you do!

Valentine’s Day is over.  You bought the flowers, the gifts and shared the romantic dinner. I can’t help but think about a different kind of love – a love for working in retail. What I love about this industry is that it provides a niche for everyone, whether it’s sales, marketing, buying, supply chain or logistics – anyone can find their passion, or love, working in retail.

Some of the industry’s best CEO’s have shared their stories about why they love the industry – the connection with the customers, the challenge of the industry, the theatrics and excitement it brings.  Now, we’d like to hear your story.

Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spencer Gifts, loves how retailing “from Day One got in his veins.” Kip Tindell, CEO of The Container Store, told us he always loved the excitement of retail. “The theater of it. The smile on the customer’s face when you’ve helped her find exactly the right solution for whatever she is working on that particular day.” Glen Senk, CEO of Urban Outfitters, said that retail allows him to be master of his own destiny. “I liked the fact that retailers have control over the products they carry, the selling environment and pricing. I also loved the theatrics of retail. There was a connection to the showmanship I have learned from my days with horses.” Terry Lundgren, CEO of Macy’s, just loves this business. “It’s a privilege to come to work every day and do something I absolutely love to do, even in this very difficult economic environment… I love the challenge because I know our strategy and our organization structure is right and we have the talent to win.” 

We’ll be collecting stories throughout the month of February. To share your story, post a comment below!

Name: Stephanie Olinski

College/University: University of Arizona

Graduation Year: 2012

Degree: B.S. in Retail and Consumer Sciences, General Business Minor

Why did you attend NRF’s BIG Show?

I attended the NRF Big Show to expand my knowledge of the industry I am passionate about. I thought it would be a fantastic chance to network and meet some of the most powerful people in retail. Plus, it was in New York. How could I not go?

What was your favorite Super Session and why?

My favorite Super Session was the New Luxury Paradigm with Tory Burch. It was great to hear the affects of social media today as a blogger and Twitter-er myself.

What was the most exciting thing you saw or learned?

The most exciting thing was the whole BIG show itself. I especially like the Design studio since my career interests are in visual merchandising and fashion marketing.

What other fun things did you do while in New York City?

I met up with a friend that had recently moved there and explored the magnificent 5^th Ave. I literally could have spent hours in all those stores just staring at everything. I also went shopping at Uniqlo after hearing so much about it.

What’s your dream retail job?

My dream retail job would be being CEO of a fashion and design magazine while living in New York.

Check out other student profiles from Dartmouth, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Michigan.

Students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison at their exhibit booth
in the Expo Hall at NRF’s BIG Show in New York City, January 2010.

Name: Treena Nicole Fischer

University: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Graduation Year: 2010

Degree: BA in Art History, Business minor

Why did you attend NRF’s BIG Show?

After deciding to enter the retail industry as a graduating senior, I realized that my academic opportunities are limited in terms of the number and variety of courses I can take concerning the field. Having the chance to listen and learn from industry executives at the NRF’s BIG Show was an amazing opportunity that allowed me to gain real world experience in a very open, welcoming setting. I also participated in the American Express Aspire2Retail Student Challenge, and although my team did not win the competition, I attended to cheer on my fellow Univeristy of Wisconsin teammate.

What was your favorite Super Session and why?

My favorite Super Session was Sustainability in Retail – Increasing Profitability and Impacting the World. The speakers focused on leading strategies that retailers can take in order to profit by holistically managing the environmental and economic aspects of their business. Peter Graf of SAP focused on energy management and compliance and on really understanding a business’s environmental and social impact. The overall shift in recent years toward more sustainable industry behavior has led to reductions in carbon output, material waste and electrical usage. Matt Kistler, senior VP of sustainability for Wal-Mart Stores, highlighted the idea of the entire company being involved in making the necessary changes, including top buy-in from executives, because sustainability is bigger than making a bunch of money. It triggers more intelligent consumption and preserves resources for future business. What else is good? Often planning operations in more sustainable methods also leads to cost reductions, more efficient management of resources, and creates an integrated momentum throughout the entire market channel (from manufacturer to final consumer) of a single market force that is driving down waste and pollution while empowering an exciting “cultural change.”

What was the most exciting thing you saw or learned?

I was really excited to visit the Design Studio. I’m majoring in Art History because I don’t have the hands of an artist, just her eyes. I was bewildered and entranced by some of the visual merchandising presentations, and meeting with different retail design companies was like taking a walk through Alice in Wonderland. It was exotic, expressive, and truly inspiring. While the world of retail is one of sales and costs, like any business, it is also a visual playground which, from stores to catalogs or ad-campaigns, makes the experience of being a consumer so much more beautiful.

What other fun things did you do while in New York City?

Since I traveled to New York with the Kohl’s Center for Retailing Excellence at University of Wisconsin-Madison, my group got to visit the Kohl’s Design Studio, Macy’s, and Li & Fung. I also got to meet renowned designer Vera Wang and sit front-row for a mini fashion show at her studio. I will never forget the experience! I love you, Vera!

What’s your dream retail job?

I love so many aspects of the retail industry that it’s hard to narrow down a dream job. I’d have to say that I’d love to be a liason between design and merchandising for a luxury brand. I love looking for trends and putting together creative ideas for new fashions, but I also like the analytical side of the business, the organization, planning and after-sale evaluation. I just want to help make retail more aesthetically pleasing, environmentally and socially responsible, and get to work with fashion and communications on a daily basis.

Check out other student profiles from Dartmouth, the University of Arizona and the University of Michigan.

Name: Marvena Edmond

University: Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Graduation Year: 2010

Degree: MBA

Why did you attend NRF’s BIG Show?

While my professional background has been primarily in the financial services industry, I have developed a keen interest for the retail industry along the way. When I heard about the NRF BIG Show, I immediately thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about the professional services that are important to the retail industry.

What was your favorite Super Session and why?

The new luxury paradigm – I’m particularly interested in the luxury goods market. The speakers detailed the trends they foresee in the space while presenting their thoughts on successful strategies to be a leader.

What was the most exciting thing you saw or learned?

EuroShop Retail Design Awards at the Design Studio. The architectural designs of the winners were absolutely mind blowing, WOW describes it all!

What other fun things did you do while in New York City?

I love New York, I took the time to have dinner with friends that I hadn’t seen in awhile.

What’s your dream retail job?

In the long term, I would love to be considered for a CFO role at a leading specialty retail company.

Check out other student profiles from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Arizona and the University of Michigan.

At NRF’s BIG Show, we’ve got a great opportunity to capture “real retail stories,” and help bring retail careers to life for our large youth audience — the next generation of retailers. We’re looking for retailers to talk about their careers with us, in a five minute, filmed interview that will be shared on our Retail Careers website.

Share your retail career story at NRF’s BIG Show.
Interviews will take place Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 11-12,
in the NRF Foundation Resource Area (center of the EXPO Hall).

We know attendees have many demands on their time while at the convention, but this is such a valuable opportunity for all of us to show, in real terms, why students should look closely at retail. We hope you’ll join us on the “red carpet area” (no kidding, there’s an actual red carpet), of the EXPO Hall, as we’ll be filming interviews in our “Casting Call” booth on Monday and Tuesday, between 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Have questions? Want more information? Make a comment below, or feel free to contact Sarah Conrad.

School stores are part of Career and Technical Education (CTE), and DECA’s School-based Enterprise Program. The NRF Foundation is a member of DECA’s National Advisory Board, and at their annual meeting last week, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel about workforce preparedness. Alongside me were students from Stone Bridge High School’s DECA co-op and School-based Enterprise Program, their adviser (and CTE Department Chair) Donna Celio, and Tracy Aguilar, Manager of Field Staffing-Marmaxx, from The TJX Companies, Inc.

Tracy Aguilar, TJX Companies, speaks about recruiting workers for retail,
at DECA’s NAB meeting, at the Capital Visitors Center in Washington, DC

On this panel, we discussed the importance of preparing students for the transition from school to work, and how to provide meaningful work experiences that build skills employers value. Listening to the students talk about running their school store, it is clear it is a powerful teaching tool. Students inevitably learn management and leadership skills – all the while learning about the retail business. I shared how the NRF Foundation’s training and certification programs play a role in CTE by integrating industry-developed standards in curriculum and giving students the chance to earn a professional certification that showcases their knowledge and skills. TJX explained how they use their partnership with DECA to recruit these well-trained students for jobs in their stores. TJX recognizes that CTE students will come to work more prepared and productive from day one.

Many students’ first exposure to retail is in high school. If step one is training them for their first job in retail, I think we’re well on our way. Now, for the next step – recognizing and rewarding high-performers, and keeping them excited about working in retail. While we’ve started down this path, we still have a little further to go.

This blog post first appeared in Retail’s BIG Blog.

BusinessWeek recently ran a story about Universum USA’s annual survey of 60,000 undergraduates about their picks for “ideal employers.” Candidates coming out of college have differing opinions about what makes an “ideal employer.” For some, an appealing employer is a company that has a lot of prestige. For others, a company that stresses work/life balance is a top characteristic jobseekers value. One common trait more and more people are mentioning, and no surprise in this economy, is stability is a major factor in their top choices for ideal employers.

Top Five Ideal Employers:
surveyed by research firm Universum USA from December 2008 to April 2009

1. Google
2. Walt Disney
3. Apple Computer
4. U.S. Department of State
5. FBI

See a slide show of the top 25 employers. See the full list of 100.

I was thrilled to see two companies with retail operations in the top five. Apple is a shining example of the variety of jobs one can find in retail. Job opportunities at the store-level range from “personal shopping specialist” to “genius,” and the company is growing. Several other retailers placed in the top 50 “desired companies,” and even more in the top 100. Retail is an industry with over 24 million employees (about one in five American workers), and sales of $4.6 trillion (in 2008). It is an industry full of prestigious companies, advancement opportunities, growth, stability, and, contrary to popular opinion, work/life balance. In an earlier blog post, we asked for, and shared, examples about retail being an industry where your passion can be your work. Share your retail story, and let’s continue to spread the word about the industry you love.

Retailers in the Top 50 Listing of Ideal Employers:
surveyed by research firm Universum USA from December 2008 to April 2009

• Nike (#15)
• Coach (# 34)
• Target (# 36)
• Starbucks (# 41)
• Amazon (# 47)
• Macy’s (# 49)

As someone coming out of college, or with many years of experience, how would you define your “dream employer?” What attributes are most attractive, and why? Share your comments below.

“Sales – when done right – is more than a job. It is an art.” – Ben Stein

Ben Stein, the lawyer, writer, actor and economist, recently wrote a great article for The New York Times about the sales profession, and the respect he has for it. His first job was selling shoes for Shoe Giant. He recounts special memories of people who have sold brilliantly, including car and insurance salesmen, and says that each of us (doctors, lawyers, waiters, etc.) sell something every day. We sell ourselves, our beliefs, our services, our products, our daily specials.

Stein goes on to describe sales as, “It is learning the product you are selling, learning it so well that you can describe it while doing a pirouette of smiles for the customer and talking about the latest football scores. It is knowing human nature so well that you can align the attributes of your product or service cleanly with the needs and wants of your customers.” Sales is a balancing act, and an art form.

Have you encountered an excellent salesman? How do you sell yourself? Share your comments below.

NRFF will create this “community” through the new Retail Careers Center website, this blog, and our social networking group on Facebook.

These online features will help us create awareness, generate excitement, and promote the diversity of retail career tracks and opportunities.  And, we can’t wait for you to join us!  Please join our community, and share with us why you love working in retail.

NRFF is committed to ensuring a knowledgeable next generation of retailers, and assisting retailers and business partners recruit, manage, and develop talent.  Through NRFF’s industry training and professional certification programs, the Foundation will challenge, educate, and excite tomorrow’s retailers.